Foster Care
by KalaniMusic
Summary: Placed 1 year after Season Finale. A girl runs, literally, into Luka's life after fleeing for her own. [Luby]
1. Anything to get away

The yells echoed on the quiet street. The houses were nothing to look at, the neighborhood was all quite simple, red brick houses with dark roofing, every few windows and a big white door. Every house on the block had the same floor plan 2 bedrooms 1 bathroom, 1 kitchen and dinning room. But still the Foster home had 4 foster children, 2 of their own children then of course the foster parents. All of a sudden the screaming and yells stop, all was clam. Not but 5 seconds later a huge "bam" then another and then another. Then the silence was back. Non of the neighbors payed any attention to the noise for it happened quite regularly, but for one girl they happen to often. A huge Slam came from the house and that one girl was running out the door. 

She couldn't be more then 16 at most. Her dark brown hair flew behind her as she sprinted down the street and around the corner. It was almost dark and the sun was setting in the west. The dark red in the sky reflected in her sky blue eyes as she ran. She was about 5' 6" but very lanky due to the poor eating habits of her foster parents.

"Anything to get away, anything to get away from them." She panted as she ran past another block ignoring the car horn that honked at her as she ran through the intersection.

"Can't stop." She repeated in her head, "Can't stop."

She lost her parents when she was three. She watch them die in a car accident with her in the back seat in her car seat. The blood running down their heads, she knew they were gone. With both of her parents being only children and her grandparents dead and no legal guardians, she was sent to the foster care system in Chicago.

The sun glared in her eyes sweating pouring from her forehead, she went to wipe it away, but when she pulled her hand down and wiped it on her over sized shirt she noticed her hand as well as the shirt was red.

The girl snorted, "That can't be to good," but she never stopped running. She was slowing down fast, her sight was blurring and she was becoming light headed and then she stopped where ever she was. She looked towards the setting sun just peaking through some very tall downtown Chicago buildings. Then suddenly she blacked out in the middle of the street collapsing, missing the bright lights of car head lights, the loud car horns going off, the screech of car breaks and the slam of a car door.

* * *

Luka left his apartment early with the thought that he was needed at the hospital before his shifted actually started. So he got in the car and left, turning on some soft piano sonata on the radio. His thoughts traveled to what happened over the last year. Him and Abby were dating still, but she had lost the baby. She was depressed for a good couple of months, the hospital even gave her two months off due to the trauma she endured. Luka had convinced her to move into his apartment at this time to "keep an eye on her". Soon she came to realise that she loved it at Luka's and it felt like home to her, so she sold her old apartment put her old stuff in storage and moved in with Luka. He loved having Abby at his place, where ever she was he wanted to be.

Luka sighed as he turned the corner. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a girl running full force on the side walk. He looked up at the light and notice it was green he slammed on the brakes just as she run into the cross walk. Suddenly, she stopped right in front of his car. She looked past him, he glanced in his review mirror to see the setting sun quickly he turned his gaze back to the girl. She had a huge cut on her forehead that was bleeding down her face, then a huge gash in her right arm that was flowing and dripping from her hand.

He looked into her eyes, she seem to be out of it, a deer in the head lights sort of look. Her eye lids began to sag, that was when Luka jumped out of his car and slammed the door. Then she fell to the ground, collapsing in a pile. Car horns were going off, people screaming, dogs barking.

The sun had set on that busy intersection.


	2. Madison Lamkin

Luka loomed over the girl for a few seconds fore he grabbed his cell phone and started dialing the number to the ER. Someone in the crowd yelled, "Someone get a doctor," and then another, "Someone call the ambulance." Luka got down on his knees and began checking her vitals then at the cuts and gashes on her head and arms. He finally yelled into the crowd, "I'm a doctor from County General Hospital." Finally someone answered the phone. 

"County General Hospital this is Samantha, what is your emergency?" The voice of Sam came though the phone.

"Sam, It is Luka. I'm on Red River and 24th. I was coming to work and a girl ran out into the intersection and collapsed. I need an ambulance as fast as possible, I want a room ready for this girl when we arrive." Luka stated into the phone. It should only take a couple of minutes to get the ambulance here for the hospital was just a few more blocks down the road. Luka couldn't help but think, "Maybe that is where she was going?"

"Alright Luka I got Rasgotra to set up the girls room, Barnett just called in the ambulance they should be there soon." Sam answered back after having Luka on hold for a couple of minutes.

"Alright I'll see you there." Luka then hung up the phone turning his attention back to the girl. She looked so frail and the over sized clothes were not helping. The color was beginning to run from her face and her hands were slowly becoming colder. Faintly he heard the seines of the ambulance, but he didn't have to time to wait, if he waited any longer the girl would die because of blood lose. He ran to his car grabbed his scrubs from the passengers seat and ran back to the girl. He ripped his scrubs into pieces and then tied off her arm and head and let the scrubs absorb most of the blood.

Just then the Ambulance arrived and pulled our a stretcher. Two men put her on the stretcher, and began to put her in the ambulance when Luka pulled on the man's left shoulder. "I need you to take that car right there and drive it to County General Hospital." Luka pointed over to his car and threw the paramedic his car keys. The man nodded and then closed the doors to the Ambulance car and hit it twice then ran to Luka's car and followed the ambulance.

* * *

When they arrived at the hospital, Luka already had an IV in her. He had searched the girls pockets for any ID of her. Suddenly the Ambuense came to a stop and the doors were open. Neela, Ray, and Sam were waiting for him by the door.

"Her name is Madison Lamkin. That is all we got on her. She collapsed at the intersection from what it looks like is from mainly blood loss from cuts and gashes in the forehead and right arm. Sam i need you to go and see if you can find any more information on Miss Lamkin." Luka instructed as Neela and him wheeled Madison into the room Neela had set up for her.

* * *

About 3 hours later they had gotten her stable by giving her blood, stitching up up the gash on her arm and stabling the gash on her forehead. The ER was not to busy today so when ever Luka had time off he would come and just sit in her room trying to coax her out of her sleep. He sat and thought about his family he had lost back in Croatia and how he wish he had children of his own to care for. Luka was interrupted by Sam coming in with a manila folder in her left hand.

"How is she?" She whispered as if she was afraid she wake up the girl.

"Stable. What information do you have on her?" Luka asked, eager to find out about this girl.

"Luka she is a foster child, she lives on Oak Knoll and Danwood. Her foster parents are not the best and neither is the adoption agency that she is in the care of. They are constantly under review by the government because of there lack of effort in finding good families. Few example, about 2 years ago a 5 year old boy was adopted and then 3 months after the adoption was complete the boy was killed by his 'father'. Ever since then this adoption agency has been going down hill. Her foster parents are not the best like i said, they are fostering 5 children including Madison and then 2 of there own children. The house is not that big, 2 bedrooms and 1 bath. She goes to the local High School, her classes are normal except she takes a lot Fine Arts classes." Sam paused for a minute. Luka quickly turned his gaze to Madison she slowly opened her eyes.

In a raspy, scratchy voice she said, "I like choir and art." Sam looked at Luka who nodded to her and then Sam took her cue and turned and left. Luka then turned his attention back to the girl lying in the bed.

"Where am I?" She asked again in the raspy voice.

"Your at the County General Hospital. I'm Dr. Kovac but you can call me Dr. Luka. Do you remember anything before you collapsed?" He questioned.

"The sun," It was very short and to the point.

"Okay, why were you running so fast?" He pushed.

"To get away I had to get away from them. I Just had to." She looked down ashamed that this happened to her and that she was found this way.

"Did they do this to you?" Luka look at her and frowned. She slowly nodded.

"I'm the oldest, I just wanted to protect the littler kids. My foster parent's kids think they can order us around and when we object they go and tell their parents and say we, the foster kids, are doing something bad and then they come down. I stick up for them and I usually get , um, hit."

"Always this bad?" Luka pointed to the cuts on her arm.

"No, never this bad, but my Foster Father he bad been drinking and he had a bad day at work and I stepped in the way and he started and I couldn't fight back. When he turned his back on me I pulled myself off the floor and ran out the front door and sprinted down the street and around the corner. I had to get away, I had to." She started to cry. Suddenly Luka's pager went off, Sam wanted him.

"My nurse needs me really fast. I'll be right back. Are you Hungry? Thirsty?" He asked.

"Hungry." She said as she looked up and smiled. Luka smiled back before he nodded and turn and walked out the door.

* * *

"Sam?" Luka questioned.

"I just wanted to give you the rest of her file." She handed it to him turned to walk off. Luka opened the file as he walked toward the Cafeteria to get Madison some food. By the time he reached her room again he had read her file and it was down in the hand he was carrying the tray of food with. He read about how her parents died and how the firemen at the scene believe she witnessed the whole thing even though she was just a baby.

At the Cafeteria he didn't know what she liked and so he got her a few choices. There was Hospital Pizza made with organic vegetables and Goat cheese, also there was Pasta with marinara sauce on top and last there was a salad with Italian dressing. Also he added a cup of fruit and a glass of orange juice to the tray of food.

He slowly backed into the door and then turn to find her sitting up in the bed and watching him. She had Sky blue eyes that looked like it had rained in the middle of the day then the clouds cleared and the sun came out. She had straight dark brown hair that came down past her shoulders.

He placed the food tray on the tray that went over the bed and watch her try all of the food. He started to laugh when she made a face as she tried the pizza.

"It's not the best thing that the Hospital has to offer, but I didn't know what you liked." He stated. Slowly they fell into a comfortable silences as Luka watched her eat her food and as he read so other patients files.

"Dr. Luka, um, your not going to make me go back to my foster parents are you?" Luka looked back towards her. She was picking at her salad, just shifting the pieces of green leaves around not looking up at him.

"Not if you don't want to," Luka said, but the look he got from her when he said that made him think, "If you don't we can get the police in here, they can file a report on child neglect and abuse, and from there you would have to stay in the hospital for a few extra days until we can find you a good foster house for you. Would you like that?" He asked.

"Yes," She looked up at him and smiled, "Yes i would like that a lot." He smiled back at her and they went back to their comfortable silence as she finished eating.

* * *

Author's notes:

More to come- But I have Pratices 2 twice a day. So it make take me a couple of days to come up with a new chapter. Untill then do me a favor and tell me what you think?

Luka's a lil outer of Charater...isnt he?

If you review...I'll...Give you... a ...

COOKIE!

-Kalani


	3. Custody

Luka sat talking to the Hospital's Police Officer that was always on duty during his work hours, Officer Tanner. He was a rather big man, not in the bad way but Officer Tanner often bragged about working out on a daily bases. Luka wasn't scared of Officer Tanner, but he didn't want to be caught on this man's bad side.

"So, we will have to find her a new foster family to take her in?" Luka questioned Officer Tanner on his new found job, to find Madison a new foster family or permit family to live with.

"Yep, I'll turn this report in on the family and have a fellow officer come in and question Miss Lamkin. From there she will have to stay in the hospital until she is placed in a home, it is either that or she goes with one of my fellow officers to the police station and we will have a place for her to stay there." Officer Tanner said while look doing at Luka from his 6' 3" Height.

"I think she would be more comfortable her in the hospital." Luka responded to the bulky man.

"Alright, she becomes your responsibility, Now Mr. Kovac. First, you must sigh this contract saying you are going to be her guardian until you find her a new family to go to." Officer Tanner handed Luka a clipboard with about 10 papers under the large clip. "Just page me when you are done and I will come get them from you, and then she is all yours."

"Alright, thank you officer." Luka nodded to Officer Tanner than turned and headed towards Madison's room.

------

Luka walked into Madison's room and noticed she was sleeping so he silently let the door shut behind him before taking the seat he had before he left. He started reading all the fine print initialling and signing here and there. He didn't know how long he had been sitting there when Madison slowly began to stir from her sleep.

"These beds are not comfortable. Did you know that?" She complained as she began to tug at the pillows and blankets to see if she could make it anymore comfortable.

Luka chuckled at this soon he came to a stop when he came to the last signature on the contract, "Madison I spoke with the Police Officer here on duty and for me to find you a new Foster Family or quite possibly a permit Family I have to take custody of you or you would go with the Police officer and stay at the Police Station until they find you a new place to stay. The choice is yours which do you want?" She just stared blankly at him.

"You are asking me where I want to go? I get a choice?" She questioned looking at him as if he grew a second head.

"Yes Madison you get the choice of where you are going to go."

"Well Dr. Luka, I would like to stay with you. You have cared for me when I didn't even ask for it and no one has ever done that for me. I wish to stay with you if you are willing to take me." She responded to his question hoping she would take her and give her a home.

"I am more than willing to take you. I just wanted to ask you before I signed the last line. I don't want to do anything that you don't want to do." With that said look took the black pen and the clipboard from the side table, where he had placed it earlier, flipped to the last page of the contract and placed the pen on the line and then looked up at her. Her eyes showed hope and longing for a new family and he was not about to turn her down from that. He smiled up at her before turning back to the task at hand and signed his full name on the line before getting up and paging Officer Tanner.

He came back to sit next to her and looked up at her. She was smiling, probably the biggest smile he had ever seen her smile since she had been here.

"Does this mean I get to call you Dad for the time being?" She looked at him and started to laugh. Soon he joined in. But suddenly Luka's pager went off which made him jump out of his chair.

"I'll be back soon there was an accident and the need me. I will be back soon." He said as he stood by the door talking to her. She nodded and waved good bye to him.

"Oh, and when I get back my girlfriend should be here on her shift. I would like it if you would meet her because she lives with me and I presume that you will too." She smiled at him from across the tiny room.

"Of Course I'll meet her. Now go a sick person needs you." He smiled at her and then turned and rushed out the door. Madison sighed in the bed. She turned on her side making sure she wasn't tangled up in the cords that were still attached to her and checking to see if the position would mess with her stitches on her arm. Soon she feel asleep with a small smile on her face. She had a good home for once.

-----

Luka let out a long sigh. He had almost lost the patient on the table but at the last second a heart beat came back up on the screen and there was a steady beep of the monitors in the room. He had blood all over the coat that he wore in the room and he couldn't even find a place where the white of the gloves shone through the blood. Sam helped him pull of the blood covered coat and gloves as the other nurse wheeled the man into another room.

"So I heard from Officer Tanner that you have a foster daughter on your hands." Sam asked as they washed their hands in the huge sinks by the emergency room.

"You heard right. When I asked her if she wanted me to help her find a new family her blue eyes lit up and I couldn't possibly say no to her when she asked if I wanted her." Luka explained.

"Well you better tell Abby she got here about a couple a minutes before that guy came in." She said as she pulled some towels down from their place on the wall, taking one for herself and handing one to Luka.

"Thank you I better go tell her." Luka said as he finished drying his hands. He threw the now damp towel in the dry pile and walked out the door into the main lobby. Abby was there reading over some of her new patients files.

"Abby I have to talk to you about my new patient that came into day." Luka said looking down from his height. She smiled up at him and then soon they walked of together.

-----

"Are you sure about this Luka?" Abby asked. She had been silent through the whole tale. Learning about what this girls foster parents did to her she shed a few tears.

"Abby she doesn't have a place to go. She needs a caring home and we can give that to her. I know this will not replace the child we lost but Abby her eyes the pain they held when she spoke of her Foster Parents and what she went through. Then the images in my mind of her looking past me while I was in the car and then her collapsing. I can't get them out of my head. Maybe I'm losing my mind by doing this, but she wants a family so bad I feel like I owe it to her to help her in finding a good loving one." Luka explained looking at Abby in the eyes.

Abby sat starring at her feet for a couple of minutes. Luka didn't interrupt her because he knew she was thinking. Soon she looked up at Luka, "So when do I get to meet our new 'daughter'?"

Luka looked up at her and smiled, "Thank you Abby, you will fall in love with her when you see her."

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Okay so there is Chapter 3! Yay!

Thank you Hibbs and fuzzypinkpens for your reviews!

Chapter 4 should be up soon but like I said 2 pratices a day each 2 hours. I just puting in a couple of words here and there when I get a chance too. I still think Luka is a little out of charater...? Tell me what you think and this time you'll get...

a CUPCAKE!

with...

SPRINKLES!

-Kalani 


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